Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an image processing system, an image processing device, a billing processing method and a computer readable recording medium. The present invention more specifically relates to a technique of billing in response to execution of a job by the image processing device on the image processing system in which the image processing device and a billing server connected together via a network.
Description of the Background Art
Conventional image processing devices called as MFPs (Multi-function peripherals) bill users in response to execution of jobs. For example, a user who is registered in advance may continue printing with a limited printing method even when the billing amount exceeds the remaining amount at billing process to charge the user. This known technique is introduced for example in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-202063. According to this technique, it is determined whether or not setting for continuous of printing in excess of available funds is configured when insufficient available funds on an IC card is detected. If the setting is configured, printing is continued with a limited function set in advance.
At recent office environment, a plurality of image processing devices are connected together via a network, and users may use any of them for execution of jobs. In recent years, under such an environment, a billing server for centrally managing a billing amount is installed. The billing server manages an amount of funds available for each user and is capable of establishing data communication with any of the plurality of image processing devices connected together via the network. When a job is executed by one of the image processing devices connected via the network, the billing server establishes data communication with the image processing device, thereby billing a user.
As described above, the billing server connected to the network is configured to manage the plurality of image processing devices to perform billing process to charge to the users. The image processing device, however, may fail to establish data communication with the billing server for example due to occurrence of a problem with the billing server or a network trouble. In such cases, the image processing device may not allow usage by the user without establishment of data communication with the billing server in despite of the sufficient amount of available funds recorded in the billing server.